Sat 7 Nov, 2009 01:47 pm
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20091107neighbors_aim_to_silence_old_ironsides_cannons_quiet_riot/srvc=home&position=0

Quote:
Old Ironsides’ upscale Charlestown neighbors are trying to pull off what British, French and Barbary pirate guns failed to accomplish in more than two centuries - silencing the cannons of the nation’s oldest commissioned naval vessel.

Miffed residents of a posh condo complex have invited the commanding officer of the USS Constitution over for a glass of wine so he can hear for himself that the frigate’s twice-daily cannon blasts - a tradition dating to 1798 - are “more disruptive to the neighborhood than you might have imagined.”


That ship has been there for over 200 years.
The people in those condo's have been there for about 10 years.
If they dont like the tradition, they can move.

Quote:
The legendary, 204-foot-long battleship is equipped to hold 44 cannons, but only two take turns shooting a four-foot blast of gunpowder twice a day, Cooper said.

Launched in 1797 and named by President George Washington, the Constitution saw action against the French, Barbary pirates and the British in the War of 1812.

The daily gun salute - halted in the early 1900s and revived in 1975 - requires naval officers to fire from one of the working guns every day at 8 a.m. and again at sunset.


The people living there knew the ship was there, they knew the history and the tradition, and they moved there anyway.

I say **** them.
 
Letty
 
  2  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 02:10 pm
@mysteryman,
http://thefineartprintgallery.com/images/Old-Ironsides-web.jpg

Oliver Wendel Holmes:


Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!
Long has it waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;
Beneath it rung the battle shout,
And burst the cannon’s roar; "
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall sweep the clouds no more.

Her deck, once red with heroes’ blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o’er the flood,
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor’s tread,
Or know the conquered knee; "
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!

Oh, better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave;
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave;
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,
The lightning and the gale!
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 02:17 pm
Run the damn NIMBYs out of the area! Mad

http://static.crooksandliars.com/files/uploads/2009/03/TorchBearingMob_d7a73.jpg

I bet when they moved to the neighborhood that thought that tradition was part of the area charm....
0 Replies
 
High Seas
 
  3  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 02:46 pm
@Letty,
Letty wrote:

...........................
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!
....................

That just about sums up what those pesky Charlestown condo owners are saying. These are the original guns, right?

They can use any kind of stuffing - doesn't have to be real ordnance or blanks, could be bales of dirty rags or coffee grounds - and, since the terraces of those condos are well within range, start making mistakes in the firing coordinates Smile
Merry Andrew
 
  3  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 03:05 pm
This is the problem with yuppies and the gentrification of neighborhoods. They move in and try to impose their personal preferences on everyone else. Back in the days when the Charlestown Navy Yard was still an active US Naval base and the only civilian neighbors were homeless rummies sleeping in back alleys off City Square or the unfortunates dwelling in public housing projects nearby, nobody complained. Now we have wine-sipping darlings who work on State Street and think that living in Charlestown is somehow "cool" trying to impose their values on the Townies.

I quite agree: **** 'em! (And let 'em know they're outta line in no uncertain terms.)
0 Replies
 
George
 
  1  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 04:13 pm
I say LOAD the damn cannons and . . .
No, just kidding.
wandeljw
 
  1  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 04:34 pm
Today's Boston Herald also published excerpts of 2 letters sent by the residents. To me, they sound reasonable.
Quote:
Excerpts from letters of complaint sent by Charlestown neighbors to Commander Timothy Cooper of the USS Constitution.

Aug. 26, 2009
“Unfortunately, the positives of life near the Navy Yard also come with disadvantages . . . It seems to us, that the cannon charge/noise is excessive. Over the summer, we have entertained several times, and we have had guests sit up in shock when the cannon goes off.
My husband (name deleted) and I would like to invite you over for a glass of wine . . . to experience the sunset blast. We are confident you will agree that it is much more disruptive to the neighborhood than you might have imagined.”

Oct. 20
“We offer a few ideas for consideration:
A reduction in the size of the battery charge would help.
In the morning, a reduction in the National Anthem volume would help.
On Sat and Sun, would you be open to eliminating or delaying the morning salute to say 9am?
As a final note, we had guests . . . and let them know to expect the morning salute. Nonetheless, they were very startled by the volume and concussion of the salute ceremony.”
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 04:50 pm
@George,
George wrote:

I say LOAD the damn cannons and . . .

YEAH!
http://www.haaland.info/norway/army/m109.jpg

Quote:
No, just kidding.

Oh oh! Oops! Shocked
0 Replies
 
Diest TKO
 
  1  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 04:57 pm
@wandeljw,
I'm not very moved by their complaint. When you move somewhere you factor in the environmental factors. If they are so burdened with having to "sit up in shock" they should found a different neighborhood.

They said that their are positives of living near the Navy Yard, but that there are negatives too. Every neighbor hood has positives and negatives. Many neighborhoods have damn near all negatives. Perhaps they feel entitled to all positives?

T
K
O
0 Replies
 
Intrepid
 
  1  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 05:03 pm
Poor babies.
0 Replies
 
Letty
 
  2  
Sat 7 Nov, 2009 05:12 pm
@High Seas,
I say, "pluck 'em" Razz
0 Replies
 
 

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